Religion and Spirituality in Psychiatry

Teaching Religious and Spiritual Issues 343psychology, a doctoral degree in child psychology,and masters degrees in social work, psychiatricnursing, and occupational therapy. Details oftraining requirements were not available to thisauthor. Doubtless, the overwhelmingly Islamicmilieu of Iran affects training.3.2.16. IraqIraq has psychiatric facilities in at least threelocations, one of which, the main Shamaeeahhospital, is from the mid-twentieth century.Mohit (63) reports the conditions of psychiatrictreatment deteriorated after the 1991 internationalembargo. With Iraq now in the sixth year of war, itis likely that mental health training, about whichlittle information is available, may be severelydisrupted. No information was available to thisauthor about mental health training in Iraq.3.2.17. LebanonPsychiatric training for physicians has beenavailable in Lebanon since the mid-nineteenthcentury from American University in Beirut andthe Lebanon Hospital for Mental and NervousDisorders. The Lebanon Hospital has providedBritish-oriented training to numerous internationalpsychiatrists. In the twentieth century,Deir El-Saleeb (Hôpital de Croix), affiliated withthe French Faculty of Medicine, has trained psychiatricnurses and other auxiliary psychiatricworkers. (63) A one-year, postgraduate mentalhealthnursing course is available. Lebanon alsohas a twentieth century Muslim psychiatrichospital. This author could find no informationabout religion-spirituality in mental health trainingin Lebanon. The mixed Christian and Muslimpopulation likely leads to salient religious issuesin treatment.3.2.18. JordanThe country of Jordan has about 330 publicand private psychiatric beds and 50 psychiatrists.(63) Mental health services are oftenprovided in general outpatient health clinics.Mental health training is available to generalphysicians. This author found no information onpsychiatric or psychological training in Jordan,whose population includes primarily Muslims(over 90 percent) and Christians.3.2.19. PakistanAt present, eighteen medical colleges havedepartments of psychiatry, psychiatric hospitals,and specialty training programs. (63) Psychiatricresearch is conducted in Rawalpindi by theInstitute of Psychiatry. Master degree trainingin mental health nursing is available in Pakistan.The Pakistan Board of Psychiatry offers certificationof mental health specialists. Pakistan hasmaster’s degree training for mental health nursing.Pakistan’s mental health system offers integratedcare. Naeem and Ayub (67) include “lossof religious values” and “prejudices based on …sect” among factors contributing to high rates ofmental health problems in Pakistan, a countrythat is 97 percent Muslim.In 2004, Pakistan had about 870 teachinghospital psychiatric beds, four mental hospitalsand about forty psychiatric units attached tomedical colleges, most of whom have psychiatrydepartments. (67) Psychiatry is recognized by thePakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC)as part of the medical school curriculum. ThePMDC lacks a prescribed curriculum for teachingbehavioral sciences, so medical school psychiatriccurricula vary widely. No information is availableregarding inclusion of religion- spirituality inthe medical school curricula.Postgraduate medical training in Pakistanis regulated by the College of Physicians andSurgeons of Pakistan (CPSP), which accreditstraining institutes and sets curricula for specialties.Few general practitioners receive postgraduatetraining in psychiatry. (67) The CPSP offersfellowship (FCPS) exams in psychiatry that allowphysicians to practice psychiatry. Candidatesmay sit for the first part of the FCPS exam afterobtaining a MBBS or equivalent degree and completinga one year “house job” (internship) inany clinical area. Candidates must complete fouryears of psychiatry training in a recognized institutebefore they qualify to take part two of theFCPS psychiatry examination. Psychiatry trainingconsists of registering with a tutor approved